Cotton Bowl's bitter rivals: Oklahoma State and Mizzou go back to the Big Eight days

1/1

J. PAT CARTER/AP

Oklahoma State reciever John Lewis, right, catches a pass as Missouri cornerback R.J. Jones defends during the first half in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 6, 2001. Lewis was unable to land inbounds on the reception. (AP Photo/J.Pat Carter)

Missouri and Oklahoma State will renew a long running rivalry Jan. 3 in the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic.

The former Big Eight and Big 12 rivals have played 51 times. The Tigers lead the series, 28-23.

Missouri dominated at the start, winning 14 of the first 16 games from 1915 through 1969.

In the 1960s, OSU won only once. The Cowboys scored 57 points in the 10 games, including four shutouts. But the Cowboys owned the ’80s with an 8-2 record, the longest streak in the series. Since 1990, Missouri has an 8-7 edge, including the last three.

“We are still familiar with them,” OSU coach Mike Gundy told reporters. “We played them so many years in a row and have watched them play. They’re very similar to the way they were.”

Back in the day, the teams played in back-to-back Cotton Bowls. OSU defeated TCU, 34-0, in 1945; and Missouri lost to Texas, 40-27, in 1946.

SEC teams are 9-1 versus the Big 12 in the last 10 Cotton Bowls. The lone Big 12 victory in that span — Missouri over Arkansas, 38-7 — came in the 2008 game.

Columbia hosts the annual NRA Bianchi Cup, one of the most lucrative shooting championships. Stillwater has the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum. Columbia is located in a “very low risk” area for tornadoes. Stillwater is in “Tornado Alley.”

Actor Brad Pitt grew up in Springfield, Mo., but went 167 miles north to Columbia for college where he studied advertising journalism. Actor James Marsden was born in Stillwater and attended OSU to major in broadcast journalism. Neither graduated, instead leaving for Los Angeles and acting.

Columbia is known for jazz, blues and alternative rock. Stillwater is the home of Red Dirt Country Music.

Ranked rivals

The Cotton Bowl game marks the fourth time in the series that both teams have been ranked. Missouri is No. 8 in the BCS; OSU is No. 13.

In 1975, the pass-catch tandem of Missouri’s Steve Pisarkiewicz and Henry Marshall was too much for the previously unbeaten Cowboys.

Both players set school yardage records as No. 12 Missouri beat No. 14 OSU, 41-14. Zark the Shark completed 20 of 27 passes for 371 yards and three touchdowns. Marshall finished with seven receptions for 209 yards, including touchdowns of 32 and 75 yards.

“I haven’t seen anything like it since I’ve been here,” then-Mizzou coach Al Onofrio said. “In fact, I’ve never seen a passing attack like that.”

Said then-OSU coach Jim Stanley: “I didn’t dream we could play that poorly on defense.”

On one play, Pisarkiewicz caught his own pass. After the ball was blocked at the line and into his hands, he picked up four yards. “When things go right, everything goes right,” Marshall said.

The No. 16 Cowboys trailed 16-0 before rallying to a 20-19 victory over No. 10 Mizzou in 1976. Terry Miller rushed for 228 yards and three touchdowns. After his first touchdown, Joe Avanzini’s onside kick was recovered by Sam Lisle. The Cowboys went on to claim a share of their only Big Eight championship.

The 2008 game matched the nation’s second and third highest scoring teams, averaging a combined 105 points.

Missouri was No. 3 and might have challenged for No. 1 with a convincing victory and top-ranked Oklahoma’s loss to Texas and No. 2 Alabama off. Instead, the Tigers became the highest ranked opponent Oklahoma State ever beat on the road. The 28-23 upset in Columbia improved the No. 17 Cowboys to 6-0 for only the second time since 1945 and moved them into the top 10.

Pick seven

In 1952, the Tigers threw as many interceptions as points in a 14-7 loss to the Cowboys. Elmer Stout and Dorsey Gibson had two picks apiece. The Tigers completed only eight of their passes.

Shootout

The teams combined for 101 points in 1997. After blowing a 30-7 lead, the Tigers rallied to tie the game in the final two minutes and win 51-50 in double OT.

Missouri’s Corby Jones threw four touchdown passes and ran for two scores. OSU’s Tony Lindsay threw four touchdown passes and ran for one.

In the second overtime, the Cowboys went for the win with a two-point conversion attempt. Lindsay dropped back to pass in the “swinging gate” formation but scrambled for the goal line. Three Mizzou defenders stopped him at the 3.

“All the quarterback has to do is throw the ball when we have a three-on-two on the outside, but he made the decision not to throw it,” said then-OSU coach Bob Simmon, whose 6-1 team was off to its best start since 1945. “I wanted to win the ballgame. I’m not second-guessing myself.”

Dueling mascots

The original Missouri Tigers were a group of vigilantes that protected Columbia from raids during the Civil War.

The mascot’s name, Truman, was adopted in 1986 for President Harry S. Truman. Truman has claimed multiple “Best Mascot in the Nation” titles.

Back when it was known as Oklahoma A&M, OSU went by several nicknames, including the Tigers. For 35 years, crusty cowboy Frank Eaton served as the living symbol at games and other university functions. The mascot became known as “Pistol Pete” in 1958.

To post a comment, log into your chosen social network and then add your comment below. Your comments are subject to our Terms of Service and the privacy policy and terms of service of your social network. If you do not want to comment with a social network, please consider writing a letter to the editor.